Tricycle



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet -1.- A, E. MILLER. TRIGYGLE. No. 471,770.atented Mar. 29,1892.

Wifgzsszg W155 M Airways,

(Nd Model.) 2 'Sheets--Sheet 2..

A. E. MILLER.

, TRIGYGLE. v No. 471,770. PatentedMar. 29, 189 2."

. and showing the driving axle A, on which anism, which is connect themachine.

UNITED STATES AUSTIN E. MILLER, OF

SPRAGUE, WASHINGTON.

TRlCYCLEr' SPECIFICATION'forming part of Letters Application filedSeptember 2,

To all whom it may concern/.-

Triing'is a specification. This invention relates to yelocipedes, andmore especially tothat class thereof known as tricycles;and the objectofthe same is I ts on the device ters Patent No. 438,273 were October 14,1890. i the invention in the improvements in general conin dottedlinesas raised to permit-the application of a basket, also in dotted lines.Fig.

2 is a plan view, part of the frame above the front fork being brokenaway. Fig. 3. is a vertical transverse section taken on a line justinrear of the axle and-looking toward thefront. Fig. 4 is a perspectivedetail of the guiding mechanism. Fig.5 is a cross-section through thefront seat, looking to the rear mechanism as tilted.

Fig. 6 is acentrallongitndinal sectiouthrough the driving mechanism.

Referring to the said drawings, F designates the frame-work of machine,which has journals are mounted th W W, and forthe front-fork,

eel w.

the letter thisimproved for the maine main wheels which supports Gistheguiding meched with said front fork r guiding or steering thesteering-wh and which is useful to L are the levers by which the machinemay 'be propelled by anoperator;

D is the driving mechanism, wherein power may be'stored by hand or bythe running of the machine downhill, which mechanism is controlled byshifting devices S for throwing it out-of or intoconnectionwith the mainaxle, and His a basket or other receptacle,

j which is rem Be it known that I, AUsTIN E. lVIILLER,aciticonsists,essen- "as is u'sualri n th comprises a circular portion rear end anupright 2, to wh I v at opposite sid Patent No. 471,770,.dated March29,1892.

1891. Serial No.404,523. (Nomotlel-l and which is useful for carryingpackages e under the circumstances hereinafter named. These variousfeatu improved tricycle combine to produce the complete machine and arepreferably used in connection with each other, although I reserve theright tomake such changes therein and elaborations thereof as may comewithin the spirit of my invention, and the detailed constructions ofsaid features are preferably as'follows:

The frame-work erably of metallic tubing for the sake of lightness andstrength, and the various parts thereof are removably and adjustablyconnected, sclassof machines and as is e drawings. Said framework 1,bearing atits ich is pivotally connected ,the rear seat or saddle 3,bearing es uprights 4, whose lower ends have ball-bearings for the mainaxle A and illustrated in th purpose to appear hereinafter, and bearingat its front side a forward extension 7, having uprights 8, to which thelevers L are pivoted and also to which the front seat or saddle 9 isconnected, the front end of this extension 7 carrying the front fork. Tprovided with two cranks 10 near its center and oppositely disposed, andjust inside the bearings 5 it is provided with two small gears 11 and12,'which are keyed on the axle. driving-wheel Wis 0n the right side ofthe machine adjace'nt'to the gearll and is keyed to the axle, while'theother large wheel W is ,on the-opposite side of'the machine and ismounted loosely on the axle, so as to permit its independent turningwhile the tricycle is rounding curves. The front fork 13 carries thesteering-wheel to and is journaled in bearings 14 at the 7.- Onthe'shaft of this fork is a gear 15, which intermeshes with a toothedsegment 16, mounted at the lower end of a upper end of this with a rod18, w through suitable b 'up at its rear end.

The guiding mechanism G (best shown in Fig; 4)consists of 'a metallicplate 20, which bar is rigidly connected hich passes rearwardly F ofthis machine is pref-- front end of the extension.

bar17, and the,

ovably connected with the frame V whose upper ends are socketed, as at6, for a, ,w

he said axle A is ICO earings '19 and is turned forms the back for thefront seat 9 and has atits center a 'rearwardly-turned ear 21, which isperforated,

so as to pass over the upturned end of the rod 18, and is adjustablethereon 13 and the steering-wheel w.

, bearing which embraces one of has by a set-screw 22.

23 is a belt adapted to encircle the waist of a rider sitting on thefront seat, and this belt -'passes through eyes 24 in the ends of theseatback, between which eyes it passes behind 26, are straps Thepropelling mechanism by which the machine may be driven by the operatorconsists of the levers L, which are-constructed as follows: 30 is thebody of the lever, which is bent slightly between its ends'where'it ispivoted, as at 31', to the upright 8, and its upper end 32 is formedinto a handle.

33 is a pitman-rod whose rear end has a of the axle A, whose front endis pivoted at 34 ,to the lowerend of the lever 30, and whose frontextremity 35, forward of said pivot, is turned, outwardly, so as to forma pedal, there being of course one of such levers and its connection ateach side of the machine, and the levers operating oppositely by reasonof the opposite disposition of the cranks 10 on the axle By thisconstruction the operator has a chance to draw inwardly on one handleand simultaneously push on the pedal at that side of the machine and onthe other handle,

thus giving him an'opportunity at two points during'each revolution ofthe axle of applying power thereto in three ways at once, and

this-is especially permitted by guiding 'inechanis'm above described,which does: not. occupy the riders hands, as is so common in machines ofthis'class.

The driving mechanism D is useful for the purpose of assisting in thepropulsion of the machine, especially when ,it is heavily laden or whenit is moving over rough ground or up a hill,-and this mechanism isconstructedas follows: Pivoted in the lower ends of the rear upright 2and of asim'ilar upright 2','beneath the. extension 7 of the frame, is ahorizontal supporting-bar 40, which passes over the center of the axleA, and journaled in this bar is a vertical shaft 41, whereon is keyed alarge gear 42, which is adapted 'to mesh with the small gear 11- or 12orwith, neither, according as this shaft ismoved laterallyof the machineat its upper end. vMounted in theisocketsfG at.the upper ends of theside uprights 4 of the frame is'a cross-plate 43, having a longi--tudinal slot 44 at its 44, and having at its ,termeshing with similarteeth at theupper body slightly to one side or the cranks lO theimproved,

center, in which is loosely mounted a bearing 45 for the upper endofthis shaft, the said bearing being prevented from. rotation by itsengagementwith the slot lower end teeth46, in-

end of a tube 47, which surrounds-and issecured on the shaft 41.

48 is a spiral spring whose inner end 15 secured to the tube 47 andwhich stands just above thellarge gear 42, and the outer end of thisspring is connected with a plate 49', that depends from the edge of adisk 50, which is journaled on the bearing 45.

51 is another spring standing above the first and just beneath the:disk, the outer end of this spring being connected with said plate 49and its inner end with said hearing. The latter slides on the verticalshaft 41 and is borne normally downward by a spring. 52,

which is interposed between the upper end of the bearing anda bracket62, described below,

and 55 is a crank-handle adapted to be connected with the upper end ofthe vertical shaft, as shown. By this means the handle may be rotated inthe proper direction to turn the large gear 42 when it is out of meshwith both theslnall gears, and as it turns it winds the inner end of thespring 48 upon its tube,

while the outer end of this spring, being connected by the plate 49'withthe other spring 51, winds the latter around the said bearing, and aretrograde movement of the gear is prevented by the intermeshing of theratchet teeth between the adjacent endsof the tube and. the hearing,this intermeshing being caused by the spring'52 pressing the toothed endof the bearing against the toothed end of the tube, as best seen in Fig.6.

vWVhen the machine is descending a hill, if the large gear beengagedwith theleft small gear 12 the rotation of the axle will causethe turning of the large gear and its'vertical shaft in the samedirection, whereby power will be stored in the springs the same as if ithad been done manually byturning the-crank.-

When it becomes necessary throw the driving mechanism D into use, thevertical shaft is canted in the opposite direction, whereby the largegear is caused to mesh with the left small gear 11, and at this time ithe unwinding of the springs and the expenditure of, their stored powerwill assist the operator; but it will be obviously necessary to providemeans for disengaging said adjacent or desirable to ends of the tube andbearipg,'and-this I preferably accomplish automatically in the mannerdescribed below.

The shifting mechanism S (best seen in-Fig. 5) comprises a shaft -60,extending longitudinally of the-machine and journaled in a bearing 61'the cross-plate 43.

shaft, a bearing in the upper end *of the upright 2' and in anotherbearing 61, depending'from'; A bracket 62, (above men tioned,) whichrises from the rear end of this turns to. the rear and is provided withfor the upper end of the vertical therefore theabearing-is From the.lower. en

, shaft 41.

from the said "shat-13:60 to one sideof the 1 front seat, 9} alongside athree-notches, an d' with its outervend pref.-

eiiablyj-turnedf forward, as seen in Fig. 2,

bracket-52'. whine thrown to .the ien, as will.

:the upper end, of the vertical shaft 41-,and

L1; the=largefgeanwill be engaged withthe left gear '12 on.tht=;a;.a1'rle A.- Whenthe handle is :movedfdown;thegear will be in mesh withthe other gear-11, and when the handle stands ,ouer the center notch inthe rack the large gear ,willbe smallggears. In thelatter p position thevertical shafflmay be rotatedby hand by it's crank .55; but'when'saidshaft is inclined to'either side'itg'is'ph'viousthatitv .is desirable tohave 2 5 theteethiatthe meeting ends of the tube and I bearing throwng'out' of engagement, and this i I 'preferablyaccomplishautomatically in the -followin g maniier:Onth'e upper side of the!."cross-plate43 at backside of its slot 44 is an 3n enlargen ent 70,depressed at its center, as at". -.71, -and-thelupperend Oflthe; bearing45 is provide --w,ith;gatransverse bar or with two darned-to rideIup-theinclined mea este pen -re ere 'an,i i ;.t he teeth' a bearingand gtubere St II automatically drawn 45 upwardly on) thefshaftagainst-the.expansive force of the spring 52, so'as -to;disengageits.

tee th46 fromfthose atthe upper end of the -tube'-4'7. "TherenpoIitheaction of thecoiled.

I springs 48 and-51;.in- -automa-tical=lyuncoiling 5o.. is prevented bytheengagement of the-large gear with lone elffthesmall gears'ontheaxle.

The basket-B maybe ofanyapproved pat- :tern and of .'ine.ta;l,Wood-,or:- other material.

. -wardl y, andits upper-end is prdvidedwithan eye 81, and the basket-isforated for thefreception of a fastening-pin,

6c the lower endof the basket beingpreferably 65 the basket is in placeand filled or partially filled, it issilpported at the-point best suitedfor it and partiallycounterbalances the weight Al ij operatingehandle'63, extends rack 64, having.

theweight of the connected lay-screws, bolts,

and its-catch engaged 1 .ef-nppermost notch in :the rack, the

outof engagement with both this latitude and-[scope vices;

:enlargements 70. Hence; t-ands-trulyvertical these bins in producing abeautiful whole.- fl he-utility v t t L n 0 jment; butiwhensaidi shaftistilted. "to either I side .th'e';.projection s 72 arefc'aused"to-travel,v np-thein'clined .facesf ,:the enlargements. 7O

provide thebearing45 and at the "side- 0f '-their ;,dep1 essed centers,-and anti-friction-rollers or balls, which travel easily in the slot 44and over the enlargements 70,-

adapted for a gentleman and lady,

frame-work .ofthe-i'earupright 2 an arm extends rearwardl-y. andcurves'up provided with two Years 82, adapted to embrace saideye andper-' of asingle rider; but when there are two riders thebasketisremoved and the rear seat3 is turned down, as seen in full linesin Fig.1, Y rider thereon then counter balancing the weight of the frontoperator,

86 are brackets, which may be detachably or pins 87 with the cross-plate43, and theends of these brackets carry skeleton baskets 88, which mayreceive light or small parcels.

Other brackets andsnpports may be provided at various parts of the framefor carrying parcels or receptacles for containing the same;'but Iprefer to use the basketB principally-for thispu'rpose on account of itslocation.

. There are certain details of construction whichare shown in thedrawings, and it is to. be understood that there are elaborations andmodifications which may be madeto a considerable extent withoutdeparting from'the spirit of my inv'entiom I may suggest that -which Ihave not-specifically described, but

9 for the ingenuity of the manufacturer in turning out a practicalmachine of the class described is perhaps wider in velocipedes than inmany-other de- For instance, the specific construction and shapeof thefran1e,*thestyle of thebear: ings,--the materials and proportions ofparts, the tires, rims, and spokes of the wheels,the form-of pedals,

except that they enhance the value of the-completed machine andcomvarious elements nd'i ts uses and advantages are thought to beobvious.

e and the nature of the saddles employed haveno material effect a-updnthe Ice present; invention, Y

and'practica-l and operation of the device'ha s been describedinconnection with its 05- Although -I have hot shown it, I ipreferablyprojections 72 with pivotally secured to said upright, of an armextending from said upright and a basket adapted to be deta'chablyconnected with and especially I supported on wheels, arear np-. rightcarriedby said frame-work, and a saddle supported by said arinwhe'n thesaddlefis turned forward, as set forth.

2. In a velocipede, thecombinatio'n, with the right carried by saidframe-work,and a saddle pivotally'conn'ectedto said upright, of an armextending rearwardly from the lower end of saidnpright, turningupwardly, and having an eye at its upper end, a basket adapted to fitbetween said arm and upright when the i frame-work supported on wheels,a 'rear 'np saddle is thrown forward, said basket having a notchengagingthe body of said arimand a beltto firmly securesecured to saidback and adapted to encirclethe riders waist, and shouldenstraps-risingperforated ears on the b'asket,.adapted to align with the hole-in said'eye for the reception of a fastening-devieg-as and for the purposesetforth.' j w 7 t 3; In a veloc-ip'ed'e, the.combination', with theframe-work supported on-w'heels, a fork-journaled insaid frarne-work andcarrying the steering-wheel a gear on said fork, a rod journaled'inbearings of the frame-work, a bar depending fromsaid 'ro'd'and having atoothed of a seat-back havingia rearwardly-projectin g perforated earloosely mounted on said .up-,'

turned end and vertically adj nstablethereo-n, the body ttos'aidlbackfrom said belt, as and for the purpose set forth.- '4; In avelocipede,-t he combination, with the f rame-work supported on wheels;a fork jour-.

naled in said framework-and carrying the steering-wheeLa seat, ahorizontal rod mount-- ed in bearin gs of the frame-work with itsjr'ear.end upturned behind said seat, and connections between said-rod andfork, of'a seat-back having a rearwardly-proj octin g perforated earadjustably mounted on said upturned end,-

said back, and a belt whose eyes at the ends of center stands in rear ofthe back and passes forwardly through said eyes and whose body.

is adapted to embrace the, waist of'lhe rider, as and for thepurpose setforth.

5. ha velocipede, the combination, with the frame-work, an axlejourn-aled in the rear end thereof and provided with oppositely-disposedcranks, a fork journaled at the f r'ont end therei of, wheels'on saidaxle jan'd'in said fork, a seat,'; and guiding-mechanism, vsubstantiallyas described, for turning said fork', 'of two-levers, each pivotedbetween its ends-to the framework adjacentthe seat,- a pitman connectingthe lower end of each lever with'oneof said cranks, and ahandleat theupper end and pedalatthe lower-endof'each lever, as set forth.

6. In a tr cycle, the combination, with th frame-workcomprisingacircular portion having a forward. extension, a. steering-wheeluprightsatthe sides of said circulartherein,

j-portion ,-an' axle journal-ed therein and-carrying a longitudinalslot,

- in g the supporting-wheels,

r and small gears on said axle, of a cross-plate detachably securedtothe upper ends-of said 1 uprights and hava supporting bar pivjotallymounted in uprights ofthe frame and fandengaging the andforthe'purpose-hereinbefore set forth. 1 that I claim the foregoing'a'sstanding at right angles to,

and above said axle, a shaft stepped in said bar, a large gear thereonadapted to engage one of those'outhe axle when -the shaft is tipped, abearing sliding in said slot and-em- [bracing the body of said shaft,acoiled spring connecting said bearing and shaft, a disk supported bysaid bearing abovethespringa ratchet'for preventing a retrogrademovement ofthe shaft when it is vertical," but permitting it when it "is'inclined, and shifting mechanism, substantially as described, formoving the bearing in said slot, asfa'ndtfor thepurpose set forth.-

wheels, small gears on said axleflan upright 'sh-aft 'stepped inanoscillating bar-and have ing alarge gear adapted those'on the axle,and a tube on said-shaft,

-7. In a tricycle, the combination, with the. f rame -work, the axlecarrying the supportinghaving ratchetteeth at its upper; end, of -across-plate on the frame-work, having alon g' -gitudin'alslot, upwardenlargements. ati-lthe "sides of said slot, provided withdepressed'c'nters, a bearing in said slot, havinglateral projections riding onsaidenlargementathe 'up-' .per end-of the shaft passingthrongh-s'aidbear ing and the-lower'end of the'latter havingratchet-teeth, a coiled spring connecting the bearing and tube, anoscillating shaft, 1 a bracket rising therefrom and embracing the -up'per end of said upright shafwan expansive spring between said bracketand bearing,

and shifting mechanism,

substantially as described, for operating said oscillating shaft, I

as and for the purpose setforth.

I 8.; In a device of the character dese ribed, the. combination, with;the frame -work, the

axle carrying thesupporting-wheels, a slotted cross-plate on theframe-work, a bearing thereimand a spring driving mechanism,'sn'bst'antially as described, whose shaft extendsto a upwardly th roughsaid bearing, of anoscillat ing" shaft, a'bracket rising therefrom andembracing the upper endef said driving-shaft,

a notched rack, a h'andlefprojecting-fromsaid oscillating shaftalongsideythe rack, and a spring-actuated catch connected to-the. handlenotches of the rack, all as .In-testim'ony 0.1L NEA 'l. J. BLEIMS.

